It is all too easy to forget about the little things on a car until they become a problem.
You don’t think of regularly checking things, because they are just there working in the background, and then one day you realise there’s something wrong and the car simply stops working. You are sitting in a breakdown situation that could easily be avoided.
Living a hectic life can mean that simple levels of care can just be postponed and postponed until they become a real problem – don’t let your car fall victim to such negligence!
If you maintain your car regularly you will drastically reduce the cost of ownership, plus enjoy the fact that your car is always in a top-notch condition.
Research shows that there are three parts of the car which are often neglected – easy-to-maintain parts which you can do yourself without any help from a mechanic.
The wipers are one of these three most neglected parts of the car, especially throughout the summer where they are less likely to be used.
Suddenly there’s a downpour that comes from nowhere and you flick on your wipers to realise with dismay that you can see no better with them on than off.
It’s simple – the blades themselves have worn out and are unable to perform the basic tasks they were designed to do, so they just end up swishing across the glass making an irritating noise.
Replacing your wipers is a matter of minutes, not expensive, and not difficult – they simply clip on and off. Make sure you get the right size and spend five minutes switching over to new ones.
Check them regularly, and if you use your car a lot, try to replace them at least twice a year.
As an invisible part of the car’s environment, it is easy to forget about the often-neglected cabin air filter.
An improperly working filter does little to hamper our driving but it can affect fuel consumption due to dirt being left in the air.
If you do a lot of miles, poor fuel economy can lead to increased daily costs in a way that is almost imperceptible but very real.
Over a year, a dirty air filter can be the cause of tens, even hundreds of pounds in wasted fuel.
It is ideal to replace the air filters every 15,000 miles although other factors can affect this recommendation – check your user manual for any additional information from the manufacturer.
A new air filter does not cost a lot and will help keep your car running at an optimum performance.
Most people jump into their cars without ever checking if the lights are properly functioning, and this can lead to serious trouble – both in terms of nighttime visibility and the legality of your vehicle.
Learn how to change your light bulbs and keep a few spares in the car in case of a sudden loss of light – just like the ones in your home, car lights can just suddenly burn out with no warning.
Perform a regular check of your lights – make sure to include the reversing / parking light, and indicators as well as the main headlights, and always replace any that aren’t working.
